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Subsequent Events/Other (Details) (USD $)
 3 Months Ended 12 Months Ended 36 Months Ended 2 Months Ended
Dec. 31, 2012
Sep. 30, 2012
Dec. 31, 2014
Dec. 31, 2013
Dec. 31, 2012
Dec. 31, 2011
Dec. 31, 2013
Feb. 20, 2015
Jan. 02, 2015
Feb. 02, 2015
Subsequent Events/Other (Textuals) [Abstract]                    
Disposed Properties     11eqr_DisposedProperties 94eqr_DisposedProperties            
Disposed Units     3,480eqr_DisposedUnits 29,180eqr_DisposedUnits            
Proceeds From Sale Of Property     $ 592,070,000eqr_ProceedsFromSaleOfProperty $ 4,616,073,000eqr_ProceedsFromSaleOfProperty            
Repayments of Long-term Debt     100,700,000us-gaap_RepaymentsOfLongTermDebt              
Premium on redemption of Preference Units     0us-gaap_RedemptionPremium 0us-gaap_RedemptionPremium 5,152,000us-gaap_RedemptionPremium          
Business Combination, Acquisition Related Costs     400,000us-gaap_BusinessCombinationAcquisitionRelatedCosts 300,000us-gaap_BusinessCombinationAcquisitionRelatedCosts 7,000,000us-gaap_BusinessCombinationAcquisitionRelatedCosts          
Noncash Project Abandonment Costs     3,607,000us-gaap_NoncashProjectAbandonmentCosts 5,184,000us-gaap_NoncashProjectAbandonmentCosts 9,056,000us-gaap_NoncashProjectAbandonmentCosts          
Other Expenses     4,000,000us-gaap_OtherExpenses 5,500,000us-gaap_OtherExpenses 16,000,000us-gaap_OtherExpenses          
Litigation Settlement, Amount     2,800,000us-gaap_LitigationSettlementAmount              
(Gains) on Sale of Securities, Net     0us-gaap_GainLossOnSaleOfSecuritiesNet (2,122,000)us-gaap_GainLossOnSaleOfSecuritiesNet 0us-gaap_GainLossOnSaleOfSecuritiesNet          
Litigation Settlement, Expense         4,200,000us-gaap_LitigationSettlementExpense          
BreakUpFee 80,000,000eqr_BreakUpFee 70,000,000eqr_BreakUpFee     150,000,000eqr_BreakUpFee          
Disposal Group Corporate Housing Business Sale           4,000,000eqr_DisposalGroupCorporateHousingBusinessSale        
Seller Provided Financing           2,000,000eqr_SellerProvidedFinancing        
Proceeds Received From Seller Provided Finanacing       1,500,000eqr_ProceedsReceivedFromSellerProvidedFinanacing   300,000eqr_ProceedsReceivedFromSellerProvidedFinanacing        
Discontinued Operation Corporate Housing Business Gain Loss On Disposal Of Discontinued Operation Net Of Tax             2,900,000eqr_DiscontinuedOperationCorporateHousingBusinessGainLossOnDisposalOfDiscontinuedOperationNetOfTax      
Subsequent Event [Member]                    
Subsequent Events/Other (Textuals) [Abstract]                    
Disposed Properties               3eqr_DisposedProperties
/ us-gaap_SubsequentEventTypeAxis
= us-gaap_SubsequentEventMember		    
Disposed Units               550eqr_DisposedUnits
/ us-gaap_SubsequentEventTypeAxis
= us-gaap_SubsequentEventMember		    
Proceeds From Sale Of Property               145,400,000eqr_ProceedsFromSaleOfProperty
/ us-gaap_SubsequentEventTypeAxis
= us-gaap_SubsequentEventMember		    
Repayments of Long-term Debt               61,500,000us-gaap_RepaymentsOfLongTermDebt
/ us-gaap_SubsequentEventTypeAxis
= us-gaap_SubsequentEventMember		    
Series K Preferred Stock [Member] | Subsequent Event [Member]                    
Subsequent Events/Other (Textuals) [Abstract]                    
Preferred Stock Preference Units Repurchased and Retired               196,400eqr_PreferredStockPreferenceUnitsRepurchasedandRetired
/ us-gaap_StatementClassOfStockAxis
= eqr_SeriesKPreferredStockMember
/ us-gaap_SubsequentEventTypeAxis
= us-gaap_SubsequentEventMember		    
Treasury Stock, Value, Acquired, Par Value Method               9,820,000us-gaap_TreasuryStockValueAcquiredParValueMethod
/ us-gaap_StatementClassOfStockAxis
= eqr_SeriesKPreferredStockMember
/ us-gaap_SubsequentEventTypeAxis
= us-gaap_SubsequentEventMember		    
Payments For Repurchase Of Preference Units               12,700,000eqr_PaymentsForRepurchaseOfPreferenceUnits
/ us-gaap_StatementClassOfStockAxis
= eqr_SeriesKPreferredStockMember
/ us-gaap_SubsequentEventTypeAxis
= us-gaap_SubsequentEventMember		    
Premium on redemption of Preference Units               2,800,000us-gaap_RedemptionPremium
/ us-gaap_StatementClassOfStockAxis
= eqr_SeriesKPreferredStockMember
/ us-gaap_SubsequentEventTypeAxis
= us-gaap_SubsequentEventMember		    
Forward Starting Swaps [Member]                    
Subsequent Events/Other (Textuals) [Abstract]                    
Notional Amount Of Hedge Instruments     400,000,000eqr_NotionalAmountOfHedgeInstruments
/ us-gaap_DerivativeByNatureAxis
= eqr_ForwardStartingSwapsMember		              
Forward Starting Swaps [Member] | Subsequent Event [Member]                    
Subsequent Events/Other (Textuals) [Abstract]                    
Notional Amount Of Hedge Instruments                 50,000,000eqr_NotionalAmountOfHedgeInstruments
/ us-gaap_DerivativeByNatureAxis
= eqr_ForwardStartingSwapsMember
/ us-gaap_SubsequentEventTypeAxis
= us-gaap_SubsequentEventMember		  
Commercial Paper [Member] | Subsequent Event [Member]                    
Subsequent Events/Other (Textuals) [Abstract]                    
Debt Instrument, Unused Borrowing Capacity, Amount                   $ 500,000,000us-gaap_DebtInstrumentUnusedBorrowingCapacityAmount
/ us-gaap_DebtInstrumentAxis
= us-gaap_CommercialPaperMember
/ us-gaap_SubsequentEventTypeAxis
= us-gaap_SubsequentEventMember